Friday, February 1, 2008

I know I talked about these a while back when I served them for the kids at a dinner party, but I never posted a picture. Plus, it is a great little recipe. These are a fun Friday night dinner for kids--perfect for movie nights! Kids can help make the dough and roll the pretzel bites. Use the left over dough to make actual pretzels, brush them with melted margarine and dust with cinnamon and sugar, and you have dessert!

INGREDIENTS

- veggie dogs- 1 1/2 cup warm water

- 1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 1 1/8 tsp salt

- 1 cup bread flour

- 3 cups regular flour

- 2 cups warm water

- 2 tbsp baking soda

METHOD

1. Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve. Add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise, covered, for at least 1/2 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Dissolve 2 tbsp of baking soda into 2 cups warm water in a large bowl.

3. Cut veggie dogs into 4 pieces each.

4. Remove dough from bowl. Cut off a small piece of dough and flatten by hand into a 4" x 2" rectangle (approx.). Place piece of veggie dog on smaller end, roll, and seal ends. Dip in baking soda-water mixture, and place on a baking sheet (works well to line baking sheet with parchment paper). Repeat depending on how many pretzel bites you want to make.

5. Bake for 8-10 mins, until golden. Serve with ketchup and mustard for dipping.

How many does this recipe make (all 8 hot dogs=32 pretzel bites)? How thick should the flattened rectangle of dough be or, how big should the "small piece" of dough be that you cut off to make said rectangle? I don't want them to be too doughy or not doughy enough!

Hmmm, it's been a while since I have made these. I think the dough will make 32, though I have never made that many (I usually make a few pretzels as well). The dough piece should be about the size of ping pong ball. Bascially, flatten the dough a bit, out the hot dog in, roll it in your hands to cover, then seal the ends. You will get the hang of it after a few.